Try this Avocado Chicken Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons smooth and mild dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 4 skinless boneless chicken thighs (can use breasts)
- 4 slices bacon
- 4 cups romaine lettuce leaves washed and chopped into strips
- 1/2 large avocado pitted and sliced
- 1/4 cup corn kernels
- 1/2 red onion sliced (can also finely dice)
- Carbohydrate 17.9006459532295 g
- Cholesterol 19.04 mg
- Fat 13.3962100003844 g
- Fiber 2.12588937787477 g
- Protein 5.12335144178088 g
- Saturated Fat 4.27322671192369 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (149g)
- Sodium 368.859385598827 mg
- Sugar 15.7747565753547 g
- Trans Fat 1.48602789833505 g
- Calories 205 calories
Step-by-step
- Make the dressing by combining the honey, mustards, 2 tablespoons of oil, and garlic. Reserve half of the dressing in a clean bowl and refrigerate covered until ready to serve.
- Marinate the chicken with the unreserved dressing overnight.
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat 1 teaspoon of oil until shimmering. Brown one side of the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes. Once browned, flip the chicken and cover the skillet. Let cook for about 6 minutes, until the thickest part reads 165°F with a meat thermometer.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 15 minutes. Slice into strips.
- Carefully wipe the skillet mostly clean and return it to the stove over medium heat. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil until shimmering.
- Cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the fat. Once cool enough to handle, chop the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Assemble the salad by plating the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, corn, and red onion. Top with the chicken strips and bacon pieces. Drizzle on the remaining dressing.
Home cooks frequently dump all the dressing ingredients directly over greens, wilting the delicate romaine strips into a soggy mess before the meal even begins. Separating the dressing into two portions allows half to act as an overnight marinade for the protein while the remaining portion waits in the refrigerator until service. Honey provides sweetness and aids browning in the skillet, but its high sugar content burns rapidly if the pan gets too hot; maintain a moderate heat setting so the garlic and mustard emulsifiers do not scorch during the sear. Chicken thighs contain more connective tissue and fat than lean white meat, rendering them exceptionally juicy, though boneless breasts work well as a direct one-to-one substitution if monitored carefully with an instant-read thermometer to prevent dryness at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Covering the skillet halfway through the cooking time traps steam, accelerating internal heat transfer while the exterior develops color. Resting the meat for fifteen minutes permits the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb moisture that would otherwise puddle on the cutting board. Sequencing tasks efficiently means starting the marinade the day before, letting the meat rest while the bacon crisps in a wiped-out skillet, and assembling the fresh produce elements just prior to eating to protect the texture of the tomatoes and avocado slices.
